Rim adaptive appliance retainer



June 4, 1968 w. A. JUERGENS 3,386,108

RIM ADAPTIVE APPLIANCE RETAINER 29 FIG INVENTOR:

' WILLIAM A. JUERGENS W Mm b ATTORNEY W. A. JUERGENS RIM ADAPTIVE APPLIANCE RETAINER June 4, 1968 Filed Sept. 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet t2 United States Patent 3,386,108 RIM ADAPTIVE APPLIANCE RETAINER William A. Lluergens, Dallas, Tex, assignor to Verson Manufacturing (10., Dallas, Tex, a corporation of Texas Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 4%,384 9 Claims. (Cl. 4-487) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISELOSURE A mounting device for installing a rimmed appliance in an opening in a supporting panel. A mounting frame has a crowned surface flange for laying across the supporting panel and upper surface of the appliance rim. A band extends downwardly from the flange in the space between the edge of the appliance rim and the perimeter of the opening. An inwardly directed shoulder integrally extends from the band and an upwardly turned hook extends along the lower edge of the band. A clip has a hook engaging the hook on the band and includes a leg having a heel extendings underneath the supporting panel and a foot extending beneath the appliance rim. A resilient tongue formed from a split center portion of the leg engages the outer surface of the upwardly turned hook. A screw is supported by the foot for engaging the underside of the appliance rim to force the rim upwardly into engagement with the surface flange.

Background of the invention This invention relates to mounting household appliances having fiat rims, such as sinks, lavatories, and the like, in a panel such as a counter or sink top. In a more specific aspect, the invention relates to a universal frame suitable for mounting appliances of various rim thicknesses.

In the installation of sinks and like devices having flanges to be mounted substantially flush with a surface of a work area, it has been the practice to utilize metal frames which will overlie the margin of an opening in a support panel and the rim of the sink or the like. An adjustable clip will engage a depending leg on the frame to apply a force to the bottom of the appliance rim to seal the joint between one edge of the frame and the panel and the other edge of the frame and the rim.

Because appliances are made from different materials by dilierent processes, the products appear on the market with varying rim thicknesses. In the past, different mounting frames have been provided for each different rim thickness in each appliance size.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting frame which may be used with any of the conventional rim thicknesses, at a cost as low as the cost generally involved with frames which will fit thin rimmed appliances only.

More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a mounting frame having a wide, substantially planar flange with a band depending from a mid-point of the under surface of the flange and with an inwardly facing shoulder at an intermediate point along the band. An upturned inwardly facing hook is located at the extremity of the band. The frame positions an appliance without undue losseness, while permitting a hook on a clip to engage the hook on the band even though the thickness of the apliance rim exceeds the height of the band.

In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a clamping unit adapted to hook onto the hook on the frame and to be prepositioned for top mounting of an appliance and frame in an opening in a supporting panel.

For a more complete understanding of the present "ice invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the frame according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrates support of a thick rimmed appliance by the frame of FIGURE 1 and an extruded clamp;

FIGURE 3 is an inverted side view of an improved clamp to be employed in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is an inverted back view of the clamp of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the clamp of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 ilustrates a prepositioning of the clamp of FIGURES 3-5 preparatory to top mounting a fixture in a frame of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 illustrates the thin framed appliance of FIGURE 6 in position ready to be clamped;

FIGURE 8 illustrates the completed installation; and

FIGURES 9, 10 and 11 illustrate a similar mounting procedure for a thick rimmed fixture.

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a frame 10 wherein the frame 10 has a wide crowned flange 11 which is sharply folded at the edge 12 adapted to engage the surface of the rim of the fixture. The opposite edge 13 is designed to engage the top of a mounting panel in which a fixture is to be positioned. The frame 10 will be formed into a closed configuration, rectangular, square, round or otherwise as will correspond with the shape of a fixture to be installed. Frame 16 is characterized by a central leg or band 14 having an offset which forms an inwardly facing shoulder 15 midway of the band 14. An inwardly directed hook 16 faces the same direction as the shoulder 15. The band 14 is relatively short. The frame 10 preferably is made of stainless steel so that the folded portion, the band 14, and the book 16 will have high strength.

Use of the frame 10 is shown in FIGURE 2 wherein a fixture 19 having a thick rim 20 is mounted in an opening 21 in a mounting panel 22. Panel 22 may be a counter top or drainboard or the like. The edge 13 engages the top or" the panel 22. The folded edge 12 engages the upper surface of the rim 20.

A clip 24 is provided with a center leg 25, the upper extremity of which has a hook which engages the inwardly facing hook 16. A flange 27 of the clip 24 extends underneath the panel 22 to engage the lower surface thereof. A fiange 28, extending on the opposite side of the leg from flange 27, has a threaded opening through which a screw 29 extends.

The fixture 19 is supported in the opening 21, preparatory to installation, the frame It? is placed around the rim 20 with the band 14 extending in the slot between the edge of rim 2!) and the opening 21. Clips, such as the clip 24, will then be inserted in the space between the lip of the hook 16 and the outer face of the rim 23 to engage the book 16. Screw 2 is then served into the fiange 28 so that the rim 20 will be forced upward into engagement with the edge 12 at the same time increasing the downward force on edge 13 as it engages the upper surface of the mounting panel 22.

The provision of a short rigid band 14 on the frame 10 having an inwardly facing shoulder 15 therein permits the positioning of the appliance without undue looseness since the band 14 is self-centering on the appliance. It also permits the leg 25 of clip 24 to be inserted in the space between the rim 20 and the hook 16.

In FIGURES 35, there is illustrated an improved clip to be employed with the rim of FIGURES 1 and 2. In this form, the clip 30 is of pressed steel as to have high strength. The body panel 31 forms a foot having upstanding side panels 32 and 33 with a pressed central tube 34 standing thereon. The end 35 of the body is open. The end 36 is curved upwardly and outwardly to form a folded tab or heel 37. The strap portion forming the tab 37 is then bent at right angles at point 38 toform a leg 39 which terminates in a hook 40. The leg 39 is sliced along lines 41 and 42 to form a central tongue 43 having a curved surface facing the mouth of the hook EX- tensions 32a and 33a of side panels 32' and 33, respectively, extend upward from the plane of the panel 31 and are bent to form tabs 32b and 33b which overlie the portion of the strap at the base of the leg 39. Tabs 32b and 33b serve to support the portion of the clip in which the tube 34 is formed and to provide a rigid structure so that forces on the leg 39 may be transmitted both to the folded tab 37 and to the hook 4G by a bolt or screw to be threaded into the threaded inner periphery of the tube 34.

Use of the clip of FIGURES 3-5 is illustrated in connection with the mounting of an appliance having a thin rim 51. The frame 10 is placed over the rim 51 of the appliance 50 and the hook 40 of the clip 30 engages the hook 16 of the frame 10. The tongue 43 of the clip 30 engages the outer side of the hook 16 so that the clip 30 may be rotated on hook 16 as to be positioned inside the perimeter of a zone bounded by the band 14 of frame 10. A plurality of such clips would be secured to the frame 10 and tilted inwardly to the degree illustrated in FIG- URE 6.

The appliance 50, together with the frame 10 and clip 30, is then lowered into an opening, such as an opening 55 in a panel 56, FIGURE 7. When the edge 13 engages the upper surface of the panel 56, downward movement of the frame 10 is arrested. However, the continued downward movement of the appliance 50 brings the rim 51 into engagement with the end of screw 52. As the weight of the appliance 50 is placed on the clip screws, the clips rotate outwardly until the folded tab 37 engages the under surface of the panel 56.

With the fixture thus supported by the frame 10 and its array of clips, screw 52 along with like screws in all other clips is tightened to elevate the appliance 50 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 8. With the screw 52 served into the clip 30, the edges 12 and 13 of the frame 10 are then brought into sealing engagement with the upper surface of the panel 56 and the upper surface of the rim 51 respectively. Thus, for a thin rimmed appliance,

the frame 10 and clips 30 provide an adequate and convenient means for top mounting an appliance.

It will be recognized that the appliance 56 of FIG- URES 6-8 may be a pressed steel or stainless steel fixture. In contrast, fixture 60 of FIGURES 9-1l will be understood to be representative of thick rimmed appliances such as those made of cast iron or of china. FIG URES 9-11 illustrate the use of the frame 10 and clips 30 for mounting such a thick rimmed appliance.

The frame 16 is initially centered on the rim 61 of the appliance 60. Clips such as clips 30 are supported on the hook 16 of the frame 10 with the tongue 43 maintaining the desired attitude of the clip 30 so that the appliance 60 and the rim may be lowered into an opening 62 in a panel 63, FIGURE 10. After downward movement of the frame 10 is arrested by engagement with the upper surface of the panel 63, the continued downward travel of the appliance 60 causes the rim 61 to contact the sides of the clip 30. The clip is thus rotated on hook 16 so that the tab 37 engages the under side of the panel 63. The screw 52 is then served into the threaded tube in the clip 30 to elevate the rim 61 of appliance 60 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 11.

It will be noted that the clip 30 is hooked onto frame 10 preparatory to mounting a thick rimmed appliance with the screw 52 removed. This permits rotation of the clip 30 inwardly without interference between the end of the bolt and the outer wall of the appliance 60. After the installation has proceeded to the extent illustrated by FIGURE 10, screws may be served into the clips and then tightened to complete the installation.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A frame for mounting appliances of varying rim thicknesses into an opening in a supporting panel comprising a top flange shaped partially to overlay the rim of an appliance and having a band extending downwardly intermediate the edges of said flange, an inwardly directed shoulder formed at a midpoint on the band, and a hook formed along the lower perimeter of said band with the hook lip positioned outwardly relative to the location of said shoulder to maintain spacing between said hook lip and the rim of an appliance engaging said top flange.

2. A frame according to claim 1 in which said flange is slightly crowned.

3. A frame according to claim 1 pressed from a stainless steel strip.

4. Means for mounting appliances of varying rim thicknesses into an opening in a supporting panel which comprises a frame having a top crowned flange shaped partially to overlay the rim of an appliance with an inner edge sharply folded and extending along the under side of said crowned flange to an intermediate point and then formed as a downwardly extending band having an inwardly directed shoulder at a midpoint on the band and an inwardly extending hook along the lower perimeter of said band, the mouth of said hook being laterally outwardly spaced from said shoulder to allow the passage of the rim of an appliance past said hook when said band is in a vertical position.

5. In the installation of a rimmed appliance in an opening in a supporting panel, the combination which comprises:

(a) a mounting frame having a crowned surface flange, the outer edge of which engages the upper surface of said panel and the inner edge of which is folded sharply and engages the upper surface of the rim of said appliance, the folded portion of said frame being formed into a band which extends downwardly in the space between the edge of said rim and the perimeter of said opening with an inwardly directed shoulder for engaging the edge of said rim and an inwardly and upwardly turned hook extending along the lower edge of said band, said hook being outwardly laterally spaced from said shoulder to maintain spacing between said hook and the rim of an appliance engaging said shoulder,

(b) a clip having a leg extending between the edge of said band and the edge of said rim with a hook engaging the hook on said band, said leg having a heel extending beneath said panel and engaging the under side thereof and a foot extending beneath said rim, and

(c) a screw supported by said foot for engaging the under side of said rim to force said rim upwardly into engagegment with the folded edge of said frame and to increase the force between the surface of said panel and the outer edge of said frame.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said clip is of pressed steel having a resilient tongue formed from a split center portion of said leg to engage the outer surface of said hook and to bias said clip toward the appliance to allow passage of said appliance and clip through said opening in said supporting panel during installation.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said cllp comprises a pressed steel foot having a threaded upstanding tube for receiving said screw with an outwardly folded portion forming said heel and an extension which forms said leg, said heel being positioned on the side of said leg opposite said tube and with support tabs extending from said foot to support said leg at a point adjacent to said tab, with said leg having a central resilient tongue for engaging the outer surface of the hook on said frame.

8. A clip for engaging a downwardly extending, upwardly facing hook on an appliance mounting frame which comprises a pressed steel foot having two upturned sides and a central upturned threaded tube extending parallel to said sides, said foot extending to a fold at an intermediate point to form a heel and thence parallel to the axis of said tube at a point between said tube and said heel to form an elongated leg, said leg having a terminal hook, the mouth of which faces said heel for engaging said frame.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 in which said leg is planar and is centrally sliced to form a resilient tongue having a curved upper surface facing the mouth of the hook on the end of said leg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,549,415 4/1951 Bonnell 4187 2,746,062 5/1956 Waltz 4187 2,868,604 1/1959 Gibson et al 4l87 2,888,684 6/1959 Icenhower 4l87 2,925,609 2/1960 Richardson 4-187 2,938,217 5/1960 Drain 4187 2,947,005 8/1960 SWitZer 4187 3,128,479 4/1964 Juergens 4-l87 3,191,191 6/1965 Juergens 4187 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

D. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

